The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 50
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 050
“Cough!”
In the dim room, a figure coughed up blood violently.
The man appeared to be in his forties.
“Hah… cough…”
Though he continued spitting blood in agony, the man could not move.
Someone stood before him as he knelt.
In the cramped room, the man could not even lift his head, only letting saliva drip from his mouth.
Then.
“Daeju.”
“…!”
At the soft call, the man jerked his head up urgently.
Standing there, looking down at him, was the very being who had reduced him to this state.
In the dark space where not a single lamp burned, only a pair of blue eyes gleamed with light.
The man met that chilling gaze and spoke desperately.
“I… I apologize…”
At the barely uttered apology, the figure with blue eyes—
Wol Seon-geom slowly bent forward.
The man’s body stiffened even more rigidly.
It seemed as though he was trying to meet the man’s gaze.
쿠구구구구구—!!!
An immense pressure swept through the room.
“You’re wrong.”
Wol Seon-geom spoke to the man with an expressionless face.
“I didn’t come here to hear an apology.”
“Ugh… ugh…”
Clack, clack, clack—!!
His body was crushed by the pressure, and his teeth chattered wildly from fear.
Watching this, Wol Seon-geom asked calmly.
“Why did you do it.”
“Ugh… huh…”
After trembling for a long while, the man barely managed to speak, overcoming the pressure.
“The… the matter concerning Pung Yeon… was something I… failed to manage properly… which is why it… happened.”
At his excuse-laden words, Wol Seon-geom’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
Pung Yeon.
Upon uttering that name, the Daeju’s body trembled violently.
He was the one belonging to the guard unit, protecting the blood relatives of the Cheonwol Gate Master.
The reason Wol Seon-geom had come here was because of that man.
‘…That incompetent fool…!’
That ignorant wretch had dared to betray the one he was guarding and attempted some scheme to kill him.
The moment Daeju heard that report, chills should have run down his spine.
The escort unit had to submit reports whenever they moved.
If they went somewhere, they reported it. If they did something, they had to file a report accordingly.
Yet Pung Yeon had acted unilaterally without reporting anything.
It was proof that he’d attempted something from the start.
And what he’d done as a result.
‘Of all people, he tried to lay hands on Wol Seon-geom’s son?’
Could someone really be that foolish?
The man ground his teeth and contemplated his options.
No matter what, there was only one path forward.
“…I sincerely apologize. It is entirely my fault.”
He prostrated himself completely.
Given how well he understood who his opponent was and what manner of being he faced, this was the best measure he could take.
‘Damn that bastard.’
Even as he pressed his head firmly to the floor, he cursed Pung Yeon inwardly.
‘Just whose doing was this?’
This couldn’t have been something Pung Yeon did on his own initiative.
Especially not with Sanchen Gwiin involved?
‘That man was said to be an accomplice too.’
The man knew of him as well—infamous for his deep enmity with the Namgung Clan—yet Pung Yeon had joined hands with him?
‘That can’t be all of it.’
The man was certain of more than that.
There wasn’t even sufficient connection for Sanchen Gwiin to join hands with Pung Yeon.
Which meant.
‘…There’s someone else involved.’
Someone else had pushed Pung Yeon forward and orchestrated his connection with Sanchen Gwiin.
‘Who could it be?’
The man couldn’t know this.
The report written by Cheon Euijin, the victim and Wol Seon-geom’s son, contained no mention of that part.
That was likely why Wol Seon-geom had appeared and was raging like this.
That’s what the man thought.
“…Moonju of Cheonwol Gate. I will ensure that the matter concerning the Heavenly Supreme, including responsibility for my subordinate’s actions, is handled without fail, so please restrain your anger….”
But.
“You’re wrong.”
Once again, Wol Seon-geom flatly denied it. And then.
*Thud.*
“…!”
He gently placed his foot on the head of the prostrate man.
“Daeju. Do you really think I came to see you over something so trivial?”
At Wol Seon-geom’s words, the man swallowed hard.
To speak of his own son in such terms.
And with a voice so utterly frigid, it made my throat tighten even more.
The powerful one who has led the Cheonwol Gate since Yoo Cheon-gil.
When he draws his blade, he is regarded as colder and more ruthless than anyone else.
Certainly, that assessment was accurate.
He was like a sharpened sword itself.
“If so, then how….”
If that weren’t the case, why would he do this to me?
The man asked with a trembling voice.
“Daeju.”
Wol Seon-geom heard him and spoke to the man in an indifferent tone.
“You are one who must protect the Sect from the shadows, are you not?”
“…That is correct.”
The man answered. At his response, Wol Seon-geom nodded.
“Then why did you do it?”
“…What?”
“Why did you join hands with Pacheongung? That is my question.”
“…!”
At Wol Seon-geom’s words, the man’s body trembled violently.
A brief silence passed. Then the man hurriedly added more words.
“I do not understand what you are saying….”
“Your answer just now was sufficient.”
“Wait, ple-!”
Crack!
Wol Seon-geom applied force to the foot he had been pressing down with, crushing the man’s head beneath it.
It was crushed flat, and blood sprayed out.
Though his foot had become soiled, Wol Seon-geom turned away as if unconcerned.
The eyes of Wol Seon-geom as he turned away gleamed more fiercely than ever.
Creak.
As Wol Seon-geom opened the door and stepped outside, armed warriors were already waiting beyond it.
“Tell the Sect Leader.”
At Wol Seon-geom’s words, the men stiffened.
“It seems we will need to select a new Daeju.”
The warrior in front answered with a grim expression.
“…Understood.”
There was no objection. Wol Seon-geom’s words and the blood splattered on his body conveyed the meaning.
Splash.
Wol Seon-geom walked away, wiping the blood from himself, and only after he had passed did the warriors move inside.
Just as the situation was coming to an end.
“Moonju.”
A martial artist from Cheonwol Gate cautiously approached him with words.
“A letter has just arrived from Dangmun.”
“….”
At those words, a flicker of interest crossed Wol Seon-geom’s eyes.
The martial artist handed over the letter, and Wol Seon-geom received it and unfolded it.
“…Hmm.”
After confirming its contents, Wol Seon-geom narrowed his eyes.
The lengthy letter was filled with unnecessary pleasantries in an attempt to maintain propriety.
What he sought to read was ultimately written on the final line.
To summarize it.
-We accept the request. However, there are conditions.
The conditions that Dangmun had set forth.
“….”
Upon confirming this, Wol Seon-geom.
“Ha.”
Let out a short laugh as if finding something intriguing.
* * *
In a room that was somehow quiet.
Amid the concentrated gazes and an incomprehensible atmosphere, I found myself narrowing my eyes.
‘What is this? Why are they all like this?’
Something felt off. They were staring at me intently with wide eyes.
‘…What is it?’
Had I done something strange? Why were they all looking at me that way?
Ah.
I thought I understood.
‘Is it because I’m late?’
Everyone had gathered, and I was only now appearing. If that was a problem, it certainly was one.
I’d certainly heard them say to come from the next day onward, but I’d been delayed by various things, and I’d ended up quarreling with Cheonhye-in since morning.
‘Honestly, if it hadn’t been for that nightmare….’
I might have arrived a bit earlier, but I’d already made a poor first impression.
Then again, even I would find it ridiculous if the youngest arrived last.
‘Ah, I should have just come quickly without doing unnecessary things.’
I’d only made myself late by trying to mimic the movements, and it had become nothing but a nuisance.
Moreover.
‘It’s damn difficult.’
I could roughly mimic Cheonhye-in’s gait, but that old man Yoo Cheon-gil’s movements were far too difficult.
The control of the body’s center, which I’d identified as the essence, appeared similar.
‘But the frame is different.’
I was also a head shorter than Yoo Cheon-gil.
‘…Even without that, something feels oddly difficult.’
No matter how carefully I calculated the differences and adjusted my movements, something was still off.
‘What could it be?’
The leisurely gait with hands clasped behind my back.
It seemed slightly pigeon-toed, yet somehow the balance was maintained.
The fluidity of muscle visible in those movements.
Though a spirit, the breathing patterns showed habits from life—movements I could attempt to replicate.
I had gained some understanding of this aspect when I was possessed, so I could apply it.
Thus, I tried to replicate each element one by one while observing him.
‘Still, it won’t work.’
Simply mimicking it didn’t feel like it would accomplish anything.
Besides, merely copying a gait wouldn’t suddenly make me a master.
‘Hmm.’
Clumsy movements combined with tardiness.
No matter how I thought about it, there was nothing to make me look good.
‘…Tsk.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly and released my hands from behind my back.
That instant.
-…!
I felt something flinch around me for some reason.
What…?
I wondered why they reacted that way, but this wasn’t a situation to question it, so I tried to proceed with what I was about to do.
“I apologize.”
I offered an apology and bowed my head.
“I have no excuse. I’m sorry for being late.”
In situations like this, it’s faster to apologize without excuses and accept the scolding I deserve.
Adding unnecessary words would only work against me.
However.
‘…What is this?’
Though I kept my head lowered, no words came.
Because of that, I cautiously lifted my head to look at the person before me.
“…Ha….”
Sochul Daeju, standing directly in front of me, was frowning deeply as he looked at me.
I naturally thought he was angry, but there was something else—a hint of astonishment in his eyes.
Curious about what it meant, I continued to observe Sochul Daeju.
“This is truly absurd….”
He spoke to me in a voice tinged with a sigh.
“Are you joking around?”
“…Pardon?”
“Really, I wonder how little you think of me to pull something like this.”
“No… I, I apologize.”
I swallowed my excuses and simply offered an apology instead. As I’d said before, I had nothing to say in my defense about being late.
Even if I tried to throw Cheonhye-in under the bus, it wouldn’t help my case anyway.
‘Then I’d have no one on my side.’
Looking at the situation, it felt like betraying Cheonhye-in would only hurt me in the end.
“Bang Disciple.”
“…Yes, Sochul Daeju.”
“I cannot acknowledge you.”
“…”
At his resolute tone, I swallowed hard.
Damn it.
‘Looks like I’ve really rubbed him the wrong way.’
In corporate terms, it was like getting on the department head’s bad side on my very first day. And badly at that.
What this meant was:
‘My career here is finished.’
There was no way I’d have a smooth path forward now.
“Displaying your presence is fine, but to do so even in this situation means you’ve ultimately decided never to bend your pride, hasn’t it?”
“…Yes…? No, wait. I bend easily. If you wish, I can even fold myself into a crane.”
“Will you continue playing word games with insincere words?”
“…That’s not it, I just—”
“Listen well.”
Sochul Daeju spoke with his brow deeply furrowed.
“No matter what power you possess or what presence you carry, I will never acknowledge you as a disciple unless you abandon that attitude and those thoughts.”
“…”
What power? What presence? I had practically nothing and was struggling because of it.
‘…Damn old man anyway.’
The situation had worsened with what happened during the martial contest combined with my lateness. It was all because of that cursed Demon.
‘Ugh.’
Pretending to be weak in this weakened body was genuinely exhausting.
‘And of all times, the Old Man isn’t here.’
Having Sochul Daeju distrust and push me away like this was not a good situation.
“Because you are the rightful successor of our sect and wear that glorious robe by the will of Moonju—”
He gestured to the Sowoldae martial robes I was wearing.
“Unless you truly show respect and reverence for our sect, no matter if you are the successor of Elder Geomseong—”
Bang.
As Sochul Daeju continued speaking to me, the closed door suddenly opened.
“S-Sochul Daeju! A message from Moonju!”
A warrior from Sowoldae rushed in, and the moment Sochul Daeju saw him, his angry expression vanished in an instant.
“What is the matter?”
“You are summoned urgently to Cheongwol Hall.”
“…Ugh.”
He contorted his face upon hearing my words.
It seemed to displease him that I’d cut him off just as he was about to say something more.
“In any case, I cannot acknowledge you, no matter what.”
Sochul Daeju passed by my side, his gaze piercing through me.
“Therefore, until I acknowledge you, I have no intention of granting you treatment or consideration as a member of Sowoldae, much less assigning you any duties—”
“Ah, you also instructed us to bring the Bang Disciple. He said he has something to discuss regarding a mission.”
“….”
“….”
At those words, Sochul Daeju’s expression twisted as if he’d bitten into a worm.
I had nothing to say, so I could only carefully gauge his mood.
How should I put it.
It was an awkward situation beyond measure.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————